cynical
/ˈsɪnɪkəl/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.59 in modern English
14
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
3
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Of or relating to the belief that human actions are motivated only or primarily by base desires or selfishness.
adj
Bitterly or jadedly distrustful or contemptuous; mocking.
adj
Like the actions of a snarling dog, especially in reference to facial nerve paralysis.
adj
Of or relating to the Cynics, a sect of Ancient Greek philosophers who believed virtue to be the only good and self-control to be the only means of achieving virtue.
Example Sentences
- "I hope it is no very cynical asperity not to confess obligations where no benefit has been received."
- "He seldom talked, and when he did, it was usually to make some cynical remark-for instance, he would say that God had given him a tail to keep the flies off, but that he would sooner have had no tail and no flies."
- "On any given day, those who get their news from the loudest voices on the right—Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Breitbart News—are bombarded with partisan propaganda, conspiracy theories, and cynical rage-bait."
- "When he, at Neergard's cynical suggestion, had consented to exploit his own club[…]and had consented to resign from it to do so, he had every reason to believe that Neergard meant to either mulct them heavily or buy them out. In either case, having been useful to Neergard, his profits from the transaction would have been considerable."
- "Towards noon, he experienced convulsive movements; the extremities became stiff, the pulse extremely small, and he died during an attack of cynical spasm."
- "On the contrary, in woman, the cynical spasm, though felt with as much, or even more violence than the other sex, is not followed with the same deleterious effects, and may be repeated much oftener without any unfavorable consequences."
Etymology
Originated 1542, from Classical Latin cynicus (“Cynic/cynic”, adjective) + -al. By surface analysis, cynic + -al. In reference to dogs, with allusion to the ultimate etymology (Ancient Greek κυνικός (kunikós, “doglike”)).
Origin
Word Breakdown
Inflected Forms
more cynical (comparative)
most cynical (superlative)